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Insight into Patient Access to Care in Cancer To ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. I NSIGHT INTO PAT IENT A CCES S TO CA R E IN CA N C E R MARCH 2015 1 ABOUT THE CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY The mission of the Cancer Support Community (CSC) is to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. In 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club joined forces to become the Cancer Support Community. The combined organization, with more than 50 years of collective experience, provides the highest quality social and emotional support for people impacted by cancer through a network of 50 Affiliates, more than 120 satellite locations and a vibrant online and telephone community, touching more than one million people each year. ® ® ® Backed by evidence that the best cancer care includes social and emotional support, the Cancer Support Community offers these services free of charge to men, women and children with any type or stage of cancer and to their loved ones. As the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community delivers a comprehensive menu of personalized and essential services including support groups, educational workshops, exercise, art and nutrition classes and social activities for the entire family. Through cutting-edge psychosocial, behavioral and survivorship research, the Cancer Support Community’s Research and Training Institute is helping CSC change the future of cancer care through education and training. The Cancer Support Community’s Cancer Policy Institute ensures that the voices of 13.7 million cancer survivors and their families are heard in the nation’s capital and in state and local legislatures across the country. In 2014, the CSC network delivered nearly $46 million in free services to patients and families. The Cancer Support Community is advancing the innovations that are becoming the standard in complete cancer care. 2 C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY Dear Friends, Today we are witness to both tremendous change and tremendous challenge in health care in the United States. With the rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), fewer people are expected to be uninsured over time, there will be greater access to preventative services and no longer can an individual with a pre-existing condition (including cancer) be denied health insurance. Cancer care is also progressing at a quickening pace, with many new therapies and treatment options already available or on the horizon. These developments in the field hold great potential for improving the lives of individuals with cancer. Kim Thiboldeaux, Chief Executive Officer Yet, more work is needed. Namely, as much as cancer is a physical experience, it too is an emotional, personal, family, community and cultural experience. Thus, as noted by the Institute of Medicine, care for patients must attend to both medical and psychosocial needs. We also know that not all patients with cancer have access to the latest advances in care, thus disparities in outcomes continue to exist. Awareness of these changes and challenges is exactly why it is essential to tap into the pulse of those affected by cancer. Our patient surveys tell stories of what it is like to be in need of care as a cancer patient — what it is like to be overwhelmed, anxious and concerned about the broad impact of the disease on you AND your family. These stories are powerful in relaying both the individual and collective experiences of those impacted by cancer. And, coupled with research, we aim to provide insight into patients’ experiences around access to comprehensive care. Because of the patients who took the time to complete our survey, we are able to summarize patient experiences related to key aspects of care. We asked questions about access to insurance, access to services, access to providers and the direct and indirect costs of care. We wanted to know from patients what is working well and what needs refinement, improvement, heightened awareness or further research. On behalf of the Cancer Support Community, I would like to thank the patients, physicians, researchers and funders who made this project possible. Also, thank you for your part now and in the future in ensuring that all people diagnosed with cancer have access to the comprehensive, quality cancer care they deserve. All my best, Kim Thiboldeaux Chief Executive Officer 3 The Human Experience of Access to Care in Cancer Over the next several decades, more people than ever will receive a diagnosis of cancer, and more people than ever will survive cancer. The need for services, from cancer screening to survivorship care, will also rise as more people gain access to health care services as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Meeting this growing demand for care may be difficult in light of physician shortages and declines in community practices in cancer care (ASCO, 2014). Despite these challenges, the charge is to meet this demand with high quality care for all patients. The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2001 report “Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century” remains a beacon even today toward ensuring high quality care. This involves exploring IOM’s named expectations of care, including whether care is: 1) safe for patients, 2) effective or evidenced-based, 3) patientcentered or inclusive of the needs and values of patients, 4) timely in delivery, 5) efficient and 6) equitable across populations and geography. The IOM (2013) also recently named essential elements of high quality cancer care, such as ensuring that patients are engaged or well-informed, and care is evidencedbased, accessible and affordable. The goal of this Access to Care Project is to better understand the challenges patients face in accessing care. We focus specifically on the following topic areas: • Access to and satisfaction with insurance • Access to providers, including availability, time and discussions with providers • Access to services, including those services deemed vital by the IOM (2008) in the report, “Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs” • Concern about direct costs of cancer and care In essence, patient perceptions about access—challenges and triumphs—underscore our shared goal of patientcentered care. Their collective voice will direct future research efforts and, ultimately, inform policy discussions. 4 With the foremost goal of improving the lives of patients with cancer and their families, the Cancer Support Community (CSC) provides psychosocial services and programs to those affected by cancer, conducts research and advocates for change through policy. The experiences of patients with cancer, survivors and their families and friends provide the foundation for much of CSC’s research. Through various initiatives, including the Cancer Experience Registry, CSC collects, synthesizes and disseminates findings to the public and academic audiences. C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY 5 Key Findings about Patient Access to Care Our full report contains a number of findings on patient access to care. Here is a preview of several key findings: TOPIC AREA FINDING •22.1% of patients reported experiencing delays in accessing care –The most common type of delay for those who experienced delays was for scheduling a test or medical procedure (61.9%) followed by a delay in referral to a physician or health care team (46.7%) ACCESS TO PROVIDER •Nearly 20% of the patients did not feel they had adequate time with their health care team •The proportion of patients talking to their provider about direct and indirect costs of treatment was lower than the proportion of patients talking to providers about other treatment-related topics –Only 34.4% of patients talked to their health care team about the financial cost of their treatment ACCESS TO SERVICES •71.1% of these reported not receiving social and/or emotional support services, including screening for distress during cancer care –55% of those who did not receive such services “didn’t know they existed or where to find such support” (33%) or “did not receive a referral” (22%) •Nearly half of these patients (47.7%) reported paying more for their health care over the past 12 months COST OF HEALTH CARE –Reasons for paying more were most often because of insurance premiums (61.2%), deductible (46.7%) and treatment co-pays (45.8%) •Over one-third of patients expressed high concern about out-of-pocket costs for hospital stays, medications, lab tests or scans •37.1% reported being seriously or very seriously concerned about bankrupting their family •7 people reported now having health insurance despite having a pre-existing condition ACCESS TO INSURANCE •Most patients had an employer-based plan at the time of the survey or Medicare in some form •18 people purchased a plan through a Health Insurance Marketplace • 5 patients in our sample reported not having health insurance, and all of these individuals indicated not being able to afford a plan Note: Sample sizes are reported in the “Overview of Findings” section. I NSIGHT INTO PAT IENT A CCES S TO CA R E IN CA N C E R 7 Overview of Findings This report is based upon a cross-sectional survey of adults (18 years and older) affected by cancer. The survey was administered online through Survey Monkey during October 2014. Outreach efforts included CSC’s online network and Cancer Experience Registry, advocacy partners and social and traditional media outlets. We CHARACTERISTICS performed descriptive analyses for survey items as well as AGE (n=478) explored potential associations between some variables of 18-44 interest. All analyses were conducted using data analysis 45-64 software (i.e., SPSS) and significance level was set at .05 if 65 AND OLDER associations were explored. PARTICIPANTS Six hundred and ninety two individuals initiated the survey with 511 complete respondents (i.e., clicked “done” at the end of the survey). Among the 511 complete respondents, 31 lived outside of the United States. The sample includes 480 adults living in the U.S. who had been diagnosed with cancer. Sample item responses are 480, unless otherwise noted, as not all patients answered every question. These individuals affected by cancer were predominately non-Hispanic, white and female. 8 PERCENTAGE 7.3% 62.8% 29.9% GENDER (n=472) FEMALE 88.6% RACE (n=479) CAUCASIAN MINORITY OR MULTI-RACIAL PREFER NOT TO SHARE 90.0% 5.8% 4.2% ETHNICITY (n=450) HISPANIC OR LATINO NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO PREFER NOT TO SHARE 2.7% 93.5% 3.8% EDUCATION (n=476) ASSOCIATES DEGREE OR LOWER COLLEGE DEGREE OR HIGHER PREFER NOT TO SHARE 33.4% 65.5% 1.0% EMPLOYMENT (n=476) FULL-TIME (30 HOURS PLUS) PART-TIME (LESS THAN 30 HOURS) NOT EMPLOYED, RETIRED NOT EMPLOYED, DISABILITY OR OTHER 32.8% 13.0% 31.5% 22.7% C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY “I am in complete remission. Last chemo was in 1998. I do have severe neuropathy from the chemo though…so I am unfortunately disabled.” – Access to Care Participant METASTATIC BREAST CANCER The majority are patients with breast 19.6% cancer having either metastatic breast cancer (MBC) (19.6%) or non-metastatic breast cancer (non-MBC) (41%). Nearly 40% have other forms of cancer. Among the “Other” category (over 35 forms of cancer), the most prevalent are multiple myeloma (8.1%), chronic myeloid leukemia (6.5%) and prostate cancer (3.8%).1 CANCER DIAGNOSIS METASTATIC BREAST CANCER 19.6% Our findings on treatment type support the immediate and long-term need of services for those affected by cancer. OTHER Across all participants, the most 39.4% commonly used types of treatment included chemotherapy (59.4%), surgery (57.7%), hormone therapy (48.5%) and radiation therapy (43.1%). Patients most often reported taking medication orally (51%), through IV infusion (13.3%) or injection (12.3%). Over half of the participants (53.9%, n=477) were in treatment at the time of the survey. Among patients not receiving treatment, most patients (93.2%) were in remission. Patients in remission noted continuing to use care, including follow-up visits with the doctor (87.4%), follow up tests (60.9%), reconstructive surgery (15.9%), services with other specialists (12.1%), rehabilitation or physical therapy (10.1%), fertility treatments (1.4%) and other services (4.3%), while only 8.2% reported no additional care. NON-METASTATIC BREAST CANCER 41.0% OTHER 39.4% TREATMENT TYPES FOR ALL RESPONDENTS CHEMOTHERAPY CHEMOTHERAPY 59.4% SURGERY 57.7% 59.4% HORMONE THERAPY 48.5% SURGERY 57.7% RADIATION THERAPY 43.1% COMPLEMENTARY AND HORMONE THERAPY ALTERNATIVE 16.5% ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE RADIATION THERAPY 16.0% PERSONALIZED AND TREATMENT 48.5% 43.1% 14.4% COMPLEMENTARY 16.5% ALTERNATIVE OTHER TREATMENTS 12.0% ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE CLINICAL TRIALS 16.0% 8.3% STEM CELL OR PERSONALIZED BONE MARROW 14.4% TREATMENT 4.8% 4.2% PALLIATIVE CARE 12.0% OTHER TREATMENTS NO AVAILABLE TREATMENT CLINICAL TRIALS The high proportion/over-representation of breast cancer, multiple myeloma and chronic myeloid leukemia participants is from CSC’s outreach efforts through the Cancer Experience Registry. For more information, please see the Index Report 2013-14 Elevating the Patient Voice. NON-METASTATIC BREAST CANCER 41.0% 1.0% 8.3% 1 STEM CELL OR BONE MARROW 4.8% PALLIATIVE CARE 4.2% NO AVAILABLE OTHER, 3.1% NO INSURANCE, 1.0% TREATMENT MEDICARE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL, 1.5% MILITARY, VA OR TRICARE, 1.7% MEDICAID, 2.1% MEDICARE PLUS MEDICAID, 2.5% PRIVATE OUTSIDE MARKETPLACE, 2.7% MARKETPLACE INSURANCE, 3.8% MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, 5.0% I NSIGHT INTO PAT IENT A CCES S TO CA R E IN CA N C E R MULTIPLE RESPONSES, 5.6% 1.0% 9 EMPLOYERBASED, 47.4% CHEMOTHERAPY 59.4% SURGERY 57.7% HORMONE THERAPY 48.5% RADIATION THERAPY 43.1% Health Insurance Coverage COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE 16.5% ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE 16.0% ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE The role of health insurance is to PERSONALIZED improve access 14.4% to medical services and reduce TREATMENT the likelihood of financial burden due to illness or disability. There is evidence of OTHER TREATMENTS 12.0% a decline in the number of uninsured working-age adults between 2010 and the second half of 2014 (The Commonwealth Fund, 2015). CLINICAL TRIALS 8.3% STEM OR health Five patients in our sample reported notCELL having 4.8% insurance, and all BONE MARROW indicated not being able to afford a plan. These individuals are all women, predominantly with breast cancerPALLIATIVE (4 of 5), CARE white (44.2% of 5), employed full-time (3 of 5), highly educated (college degreeNO or AVAILABLE more, 4 of 5), with household incomes of 1.0% less than $60,000 (4 of 5 with only 1TREATMENT of 4 having an income less than $20,000) and between the ages of 45-64 (4 of 5). These women are also mostly not in treatment (4 of 5) because of being in remission. HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE (n=479) OTHER, 3.1% NO INSURANCE, 1.0% MEDICARE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL, 1.5% MILITARY, VA OR TRICARE, 1.7% MEDICAID, 2.1% MEDICARE PLUS MEDICAID, 2.5% PRIVATE OUTSIDE MARKETPLACE, 2.7% MARKETPLACE INSURANCE, 3.8% MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, 5.0% EMPLOYERBASED, 47.4% MULTIPLE RESPONSES, 5.6% MEDICARE WITH SUPPLEMENTAL, 23.6% At the time of the survey, most patients had an employer-based plan or Medicare in some form. Those who purchased coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace (n=18) were predominantly in treatment (61.1%) and diagnosed with breast cancer (66.7%) with 16.7% having metastatic disease. Other forms 86.9% leukemia, endometrial or uterine cancer, of cancer included chronic myeloid lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myeloproliferative neoplasms and sarcoma. They are nearly all women (94.4%), white (77.8%) and highlyYES educated (college 22.1% full-time or more; n=17, 70.6%) with just over a quarter (27.8%) employed (another 33% employed part-time). Future efforts should continue to track use of the Health Insurance Marketplace among patients with cancer and whether it is NO particularly valuable to certain groups over others. 77.9% 10 3.0% MORE 10.1% C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY LESS ABOUT Most patients (69.8%, n=471) report having the same coverage as they did one year ago. The most common reason for a change in coverage was because of a switch to another employer-based plan (34.4%) followed by gaining eligibility into Medicare (15.4%). One groundbreaking element of the ACA is that those with a pre-existing condition cannot be denied health insurance. This provision is critically important in cancer because it means that patients and/or families have the flexibility of pursuing career advancement opportunities and/or changing jobs without the fear of losing coverage. Seven individuals with a pre-existing condition reported becoming eligible for health insurance. These individuals are predominantly female (85.7%), between the ages of 45-64 (85.7%) and have an annual household income of less than $40,000 (57.2%). Four of these individuals purchased their insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. This provides a good reminder to continue to monitor those patients with cancer who previously had been denied access to health insurance coverage because of a pre-existing condition (cancer or otherwise). Further, also because of ACA, some states expanded Medicaid coverage, which can also have positive implications for those with less means and a diagnosis of cancer. Six patients reported becoming eligible for Medicaid over the past year and were from the following states: CA (2), MA, MN, NJ and PA. Five of these patients were in treatment for cancer. SATISFACTION WITH HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE More than 8 out of 10 patients (82.8%, n=472) reported liking their health insurance coverage. Among those who reported not liking their current coverage, most (43.2%) had an employer-based plan followed by Medicare with supplemental coverage (18.5%). Among those reporting not liking their health insurance, top concerns pertained to paying high out-of-pocket costs for premiums, co-insurance and medications. CONCERNS WITH THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE (MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALLOWED) % AMONG % AMONG THOSE WHO DO THOSE WHO LIKE NOT LIKE THEIR THEIR COVERAGE COVERAGE (n=81) (n=391) HIGH OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR CO-INSURANCE TO COVER SERVICES OR PROCEDURES 66.7% 37.6% HIGH OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS TO PAY INSURANCE PREMIUMS 58.0% 40.7% HIGH CO-PAY COSTS FOR MEDICATIONS 54.3% 37.6% I HAVE LIMITED OR NO ACCESS TO MY HEALTH CARE TEAM OF CHOICE 23.5% 6.6% I HAVE LIMITED OR NO ACCESS TO MY HOSPITAL OF CHOICE 17.3% 3.3% I HAVE TO DRIVE A LONG DISTANCE TO RECEIVE CARE 8.6% 7.4% I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT INSURANCE 8.6% 4.6% 22.2% 18.7% OTHER I NSIGHT INTO PAT IENT A CCES S TO CA R E IN CA N C E R 11 CLINICAL TRIALS 8.3% MULTIPLE RESPONSES, 5.6% STEM CELL OR BONE MARROW 4.8% PALLIATIVE CARE 4.2% NO AVAILABLE TREATMENT Access to Providers 1.0% MEDICARE WITH SUPPLEMENTAL, 23.6% As important as it is to think about access to providers in its strictest terms (i.e., getting seen by a provider), it is also important to think OTHER, 3.1% NO INSURANCE, 1.0% with that provider. about time with a provider and what is discussed MEDICARE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL, 1.5% Patients who report good communication with their1.7% providers have MILITARY, VA OR TRICARE, MEDICAID, 2.1% better quality of life, lower distress and are more satisfied with their PLUS MEDICAID, 2.5% treatment (Bernacki et al., 2014).MEDICARE Understanding these elements PRIVATE OUTSIDE MARKETPLACE, 2.7% of access to providers—availability, time and information MARKETPLACE INSURANCE, 3.8% through MEDICARE discussion—from the perspective of theADVANTAGE, patient is 5.0% even more vital with the evolution of personalized medicine. MULTIPLE RESPONSES, 5.6% HAVE YOU NOTICED A CHANGE IN YOUR ACCESS TO YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS? (n=444) 86.9% EMPLOYERBASED, 47.4% PROVIDER AVAILABILITY Responses were positive among patients in terms of access to one’s health care team. The majority of patients (86.9%, n=444) expressed having the same level of access to their provider over MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTAL, the past 12 months as a year ago, whileWITH only 10% of the23.6% patients reported having less access. MORE ACCESS Despite little reported change in access, 22% of the 475 patients who responded reported experiencing delays in accessing care. The most common type of delay for those who experienced delays was for scheduling a test or medical procedure (61.9%), followed by a 86.9% delay in referral to a physician or health care team (46.7%). DELAY IN OBTAINING A PRESCRIPTION OTHER MORE ACCESS ABOUT THE SAME ACCESS HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED DELAYS IN GETTING ACCESS TO CARE? (n=475) PERCENTAGE DELAY IN SCHEDULING A TEST OR MEDICAL PROCEDURE 3.0% LESS ACCESS YES 22.1% TYPE OF DELAYS EXPERIENCED BY PATIENTS REPORTING DELAYS (n=105, MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALLOWED) DELAY IN REFERRAL TO PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH CARE TEAM 10.1% 3.0% 61.9% NO 77.9% 46.7% 10.1% 22.9% LESS ACCESS ABOUT 25.7% THE SAME ACCESS Despite positive findings among this sample in terms of availability to providers, at least 20% of those responding to the following items indicate concern about having to switch health care providers and institutions. Concern about getting a second opinion was also evident for 21% of the patients responding to the item. PATIENTS SERIOUSLY OR VERY SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT I DON’T KNOW, 2.3% SOMETIMES, 9.1% NO 19.5%NO, 7.2% YES 80.5% PERCENTAGE HAVING TO SWITCH DOCTORS BECAUSE OF NETWORK LIMITATIONS (n=465) 21.0% BEING ABLE TO GET A SECOND OPINION (n=462) 21.0% HAVING TO SWITCH HOSPITALS OR CLINICS BECAUSE OF NETWORK LIMITATIONS (n=465) 20.5% YES, I DON’T KNOW, 2.3% 12 SOMETIMES, 9.1% NO, 7.2% 80% C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY 13 YES 22.1% NO 77.9% 3.0% 10.1% TIME WITH HEALTH CARE TEAM MORE LESS ABOUT ACCESS(n=476) ACCESS Nearly 20% of the patients felt THE theySAME did ACCESS not have enough time with their health care team. A significantly higher percentage of patients with lower incomes reported not having enough time with their health care team compared to those with higher incomes. This is particularly concerning given previous data from CSC noting that (1) lower income survivors are more likely to request help for their social and emotional needs, and (2) higher distress predicts the likelihood of wanting to talk to a staff person. Future research should evaluate efforts to provide tailored resources for low income survivors, particularly within the first six months post-treatment when distress levels are highest (Buzaglo et al., 2014). DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE TEAM? (n=476) NO 19.5% YES 80.5% DISCUSSIONS WITH PROVIDERS When patients take an active role and participate in treatment-decision counseling, they experience decreased distress, greater confidence and have more productive consultations with the medical Iteam DON’T(Bernacki KNOW, 2.3%et al., 2014; Belkora et al., 2013). Our findings show that these patients have had discussions with their providers about SOMETIMES, topics such as their goals of treatment, the9.1% risks and benefits of treatment and their perspective on what they value NO, in treatment. These patients reported less patient-doctor 7.2% communication about financial related issues, including direct (e.g., treatment costs) and indirect costs (transportation, child or elder care costs or impact on work). Indeed, only 34% of patients reported talking to their doctor about the financial cost of their treatment. A higher proportion of men (48.1%) reported talking about the financial cost of treatment with their doctor than women (32.8%). Men were also more likely to talk with their doctor about indirect costs than women. A significantly lower percentage YES,of81.4% of white patients (33.2%) had a discussion about the financial cost treatment as well as indirect costs (13%) compared to those of another race or reported mixed race (56.3%; 28.1%, respectively). Further, younger patients were also significantly more likely to talk with their doctor about the impact of treatment on work. PERCENT TALKING WITH THEIR HEALTH CARE TEAM ABOUT THE FOLLOWING WHEN MAKING THEIR CARE DECISIONS YOUR GOALS OF THERAPY, FOR EXAMPLE: CURE, QUALITY OF LIFE, ETC. (n=473) 80% THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF EACH TREATMENT OPTION (n=471) PERCENTAGE 79.5% 71.1%78.8% MORE THAN70% ONE TREATMENT (n=472) 78.2% WHAT YOU VALUE ABOUT YOUR TREATMENT (n=464) 60% PALLIATIVE CARE, SUCH AS TREATING SIDE EFFECTS, MANAGING PAIN (n=468) 62.3% 50% (n=467) IMPACT ON WORK 51.8% CLINICAL TRIALS AS A TREATMENT OPTION (n=471) 40% THE FINANCIAL COST OF TREATMENT (n=468) 48.8% 28.9% NON-TREATMENT 30% RELATED COSTS SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, CHILD OR ELDER CARE (n=465) 14 62.2% NO 34.4% 14.0% 20% YES 10% C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY While we are used to talking about the physical toxicities of treatment regimens, we are less familiar with thinking about the financial toxicities of cancer on individual patients and their families. Cancer places a financial burden on patients that is associated with patients taking measures that may significantly impact quality of life and may negatively affect treatment outcomes. Implications for future research and practice include the development and evaluation of interventions to enhance oncology team-patient communication and support (e.g., financial counseling and assistance) to help ensure that the financial burden of cancer does not negatively impact the patient’s quality of life, course of cancer care and health outcomes. As noted below, over 20% of the patients expressed concern about gaining information related to cancer treatment and management. It should be noted that over 20% of patients also reported high concern about receiving a written plan from the doctor. PATIENTS SERIOUSLY OR VERY SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT PERCENTAGE GETTING A WRITTEN PLAN FROM MY DOCTOR (n=464) 23.5% GETTING RELIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT ILLNESS, TREATMENT AND SERVICES (n=462) 24.2% 16 MEDICARE WITH SUPPLEMENTAL, 23.6% Access to Services 86.9% YES services in order to effectively Patients with cancer require numerous and diverse 22.1% manage their cancer, which should be continued into survivorship for routine checkups or because of lingering limitations (e.g., speech or mobility). ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE NO 77.9% Nearly 20% of patients felt they were not able to get the medical care that was 10.1% needed. Among those who reported not being able to access needed medical care 3.0% (i.e., “no” response, n=34), 94% had health insurance and had household incomes MORE less thanLESS $60,000ABOUT (60.7%, n=33). They were also predominantly white (82.4%), ACCESS ACCESS THE SAME female (75.8%) and between the ages of 45-64 (64.7%). 52.9% were currently in ACCESS treatment and 52.4% had forms of cancer other than breast cancer. The type of insurance among these 34 individuals included: employer-based (29.4%), Medicare with supplemental (17.6%), multiple insurance types (e.g., Medicare and militaryrelated) (11.8%), Medicaid (8.8%), Marketplace insurance plan (8.8%), Medicaid NO and Medicare (5.9%), no insurance (5.9%), other19.5% (e.g., COBRA) (5.9%), militaryrelated (2.9%) and private non-Marketplace (2.9%). When comparing a yes response to otherwise (i.e., responses of “no,” YES “sometimes,” or “I don’t know”), those with higher incomes were significantly 80.5%with lower more likely to report having access to medical care than those incomes. A higher percentage of those 65 and older (88.1%) also reported better access to care than younger patients (45-64, 78.3%; 18-44, 68.6%). ARE YOU ABLE TO GET THE MEDICAL CARE YOU FEEL YOU NEED? (n=475) I DON’T KNOW, 2.3% SOMETIMES, 9.1% NO, 7.2% YES, 81.4% 80% 71.1% 70% 60% I NSIGHT INTO PAT IENT A CCES S TO CA R E IN CA N C E R 17 Patients also reported on their concern about access to other medical services. The highest expressed concerns pertained to accessing genetic/biomarker testing and counseling, accessing clinical trials and getting emotional support. PATIENTS SERIOUSLY OR VERY SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT PERCENTAGE HAVING ACCESS TO GENETIC/BIOMARKER TESTING AND COUNSELING (n=466) 20.8% HAVING ACCESS TO CLINICAL TRIALS (n=463) 20.3% HAVING ACCESS TO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES (n=471) 19.9% HAVING ACCESS TO PHYSICAL THERAPY (n=462) 16.5% HAVING ACCESS TO HOME HEALTH CARE (n=462) 16.2% HAVING ACCESS TO HOSPICE CARE (n=458) 14.2% HAVING ACCESS TO FERTILITY PRESERVATION (n=456) 3.1% RECEIPT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE In the 2008 report entitled “Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs,” the IOM reported that the psychosocial needs of patients with cancer were not being adequately addressed, and by meeting such needs, patients might experience improvement in quality of life. The report highly recommends psychosocial distress screening, referral and follow-up care for all patients. Over the past five years, the cancer health care community has shown a growing commitment to distress screening and integration of psychosocial care as professional organizations have formally recognized that screening, referral and followup for psychosocial concerns are critical to ensuring quality cancer care for the whole patient. Integrating psychosocial care into cancer care is associated with improved long-term health outcomes (Andersen et al., 2010) and improved cost outcomes (Carlson & Bultz, 2004). A recent report on findings from CSC’s Cancer Experience Registry (Elevating the Patient Voice, 2014) demonstrates an ongoing need for coordinated care that integrates programs and services throughout the health care system. Indeed, findings from the “Elevating the Patient Voice” report showed that about half of respondents were never asked about distress by their health care team. Those who received all or part of their treatment in an academic or comprehensive cancer center were significantly more likely to be asked about distress compared to those receiving treatment anywhere else. Disturbingly, 21% of patients who were asked about distress never received any referrals and only 16% were referred to community-based organizations for treating their distress where their services are often provided at low or no cost. Further, while validating the CSC patient distress screening tool (CancerSupportSource™), CSC learned that patients with lower income were more likely to request help for their psychosocial needs and higher distress predicted the likelihood of wanting to talk to a staff person (Buzaglo et al., 2014). 18 C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY I DON’T KNOW, 2.3% I DON’T KNOW, 2.3% SOMETIMES, 9.1% SOMETIMES, 9.1% NO, 7.2% NO, 7.2% Although the patients in this Access to Care Project reported good access to medical care, over 70% of the patients did not receive social and emotional support services including screening for distress. Among the 335 patients not receiving such support, 55% did not know where or how to get support (33%) or did not receive a referral (22%) for psychological and/or emotional support. This suggests a disparity between 81.4% access to medical care compared to psychosocialYES, care for these patients and affirms the need for continued collective efforts to improve distress YES, 81.4% screening and referral. RECEIPT OF SOCIAL AND/OR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING SCREENING FOR DISTRESS DURING CANCER CARE (n=471) 80% 80% 70% 70% 60% 60% 50% 40% 71.1% 71.1% 50% 40% NO 28.9% 30% NO 28.9% 20% YES 30% 10% 20% YES 0% 10% OTHER, 11%DID IF YOU NOT RECEIVE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT OR COUNSELING, I DIDN’T KNOW THEY WHAT ARE THE REASONS YOU DIDN’T ACCESS THIS SUPPORT? EXISTED OR WHERE TO FIND SUCH SUPPORT, 33% (n=335) 0% MY INSURANCE DID NOT COVER, 7% OTHER, 11% I DIDN’T KNOW THEY EXISTED OR WHERE TO FIND SUCH SUPPORT, 33% MY INSURANCE DID NOT COVER, 7% I DID NOT RECEIVE A REFERRAL, 22% I DID NOT RECEIVE A REFERRAL, 22% I DIDN’T FEEL I NEEDED THEM, 27% LESS, 7.8% I NSIGHT INTO PAT IENT A CCES S TO CA R E IN CA N C E R SAME, LESS, I DIDN’T FEEL I NEEDED THEM, 27% MORE, 47.7% 19 NOT COVER, 7% I DID NOT RECEIVE A REFERRAL, 22% I DID NOT RECEIVE A REFERRAL, 22% Cost of Health Care Americans are certainly not absent of concern regarding health care costs. In the report, entitled “Too High a Price: Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs in the United States,” The Commonwealth Fund highlighted that having a lower income was associated with spending a higher share of income on uncovered health care costs. As might be expected, those in poorer health are also shown to spend more on health care than healthier individuals (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). Greater cost sharing is believed essential toward reducing health spending and inflation. But, on the downside, adverse consequences might ultimately surface, such as delayed medical care and more advanced disease at the point of access—leading ultimately to greater spending. Cost of care continues to be a major concern for people facing cancer—with a wide range of impact on treatment and lives. These concerns stem directly from the costs of treatment and from indirect costs such as loss of work, costs of child care or transportation to and from treatment centers. As noted in the chart (top right), just under half of patients report paying more for health care over the past 12 months. The top reasons individuals in our sample indicated paying more for health care over the past year included: • Paying more for insurance premiums • Paying more for deductibles • Paying more for treatment co-pays • Paying more for co-insurance • Needing more care HAVE YOU NOTICED A CHANGE INI DIDN’T THE I DIDN’T FEELFEEL I NEEDED THEM I NEEDED THEM COST YOU PAY FOR YOUR HEALTH CARE OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS? (n=476) LESS, 7.8% SAME, 44.5% LESS, 7.8% MORE, MORE,47.7% SAME, 44.5% 47.7% IF YOU ARE PAYING MORE OUT-OF-POCKET (n=227), ARE THE INCREASED COSTS RELATED INSURANCE PREMIUMS 61.2% TO (MULTIPLE RESPONSES) DEDUCTIBLES 46.7% INSURANCE PREMIUMS 61.2% TREATMENT CO-PAYS 45.8% DEDUCTIBLES 46.7% CO-INSURANCE 28.2% TREATMENT CO-PAYS NEED MORE CARE 45.8% 14.5% MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTAL 28.2% 14.1% CO-INSURANCE TRANSPORTATION NEED MORE DUECARE TO DISTANCE OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTAL 14.5%12.3% OTHER Patients were also asked about their concern for bankruptcy. Nearly 4 in 10 (37.1%, n=467) reported being seriously or very seriously concerned about bankrupting their family. A significantly higher proportion of patients age 18-44 (58.8%) reported being seriously or very seriously concerned about bankrupting their family compared to those aged 45‑64 (40.9%) and those 65 or older (23.3%). 20 9.3% 14.1% 8.4% TRANSPORTATION 12.3% DUE TO NODISTANCE LONGER RECEIVING CO-PAY ASSISTANCE OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES OTHER NO LONGER RECEIVING CO-PAY ASSISTANCE 6.2% 9.3% 8.4% 6.2% C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY We also asked patients about their level of concern about specific out-ofpocket costs and responses for high concern are provided below. PERCENT EXPRESSING HIGH CONCERN (SERIOUSLY, VERY SERIOUSLY CONCERNED) ABOUT OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS PERCENTAGE OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR HOSPITAL STAYS (n=463) 38.0% OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR MEDICATIONS (n=469) 38.0% OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR LAB TESTS OR SCANS (n=468) 37.8% THE COST OF THE MONTHLY PREMIUM YOU PAY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE (n=467) 36.8% OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR PHYSICIAN VISITS (n=464) 31.5% OUT-OF-POCKET FOR PALLIATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE CARE (n=464) 26.3% OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR MEDICAL CARE (n=455) 24.8% GETTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND/OR ASSISTANCE (n=467) 24.2% The implications of these concerns will be important to monitor over time. For example, future efforts might explore if high concern for out-of-pocket costs for medication is associated with poorer adherence, especially poorer adherence to oral medication. Findings from the CSC Cancer Experience Registry Report indicate that the combination of high levels of distress and financial burden can significantly impact adherence among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (Buzaglo et al., 2014). This might ultimately influence overall health outcomes and costs of care to the health system. Therefore, there may be great benefit in identifying those at highest risk, addressing their emotional and social concerns and providing access to financial assistance. I NSIGHT INTO PAT IENT A CCES S TO CA R E IN CA N C E R 21 Summary and Future Direction It is quite likely that this sample includes a particularly proactive and engaged subset of individuals, as many may be connected to the CSC community and were responsive to an online survey. For these patients, we note many areas of triumph with health care access. In particular, this sample was largely satisfied with their health insurance coverage and time with their health care team, while few reported delays in access to care. Further, these patients express engaging in discussion with their health care team about treatment-related issues, including voicing their own perspectives. Though low in number, some patients report having coverage despite a pre-existing condition, as well as access to insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. This might suggest that some patients are benefiting from the ACA, though more study is needed. Yet, approximately 20% struggle with issues of access to care, including not receiving needed medical care or experiencing delays. We also illuminate other areas of concern for those included in this sample. Foremost concerns pertain to the direct and indirect costs for patients, with 37% reporting high concern about their illness bankrupting their family. Future research should explore this financial burden in terms of implication on health care use and outcomes over the long-term. Importantly, although these patients with cancer report good access to medical care, we note that over 70% reported not receiving social and emotional support services, including screening for distress. Over half (55%) of those who did not receive services either did not know where or how to get support or did not receive a referral for psychological and/or emotional support. These findings affirm the need for collective efforts to incorporate distress screening and referral in cancer care and follow outcomes over time. Insight from patients can inform future research and policy efforts. We recommend that the cancer community continues to prioritize understanding the experiences of patients in terms of access to quality cancer care. Priority areas must include: • Monitoring the direct and indirect costs of cancer and related care for patients throughout the trajectory of disease • Understanding the implications of cost burden in terms of a patient’s emotional health and use of health services over time • Further exploring the impact of Health Insurance Marketplaces on financial and emotional burden of patients • Identifying the subtleties of key elements of patient-centered care including quantity and quality of time spent with health care team and discussions on cost • Evaluating the impact of psychosocial distress screening, referral and follow-up on patient care and costs CSC is grateful for the patients who freely shared their time and voices so that others might learn. Our goal is to hear their voices, as well as continue to listen so that CSC, other advocacy organizations and health care stakeholders can shape efforts that are most meaningful to patients and the health care system as a whole. 22 C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY References American Society of Clinical Oncology. (2014). The State of Cancer Care in America, 2014: A Report by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. J Oncol Prac, 10(2): 119-142. Andersen, B.L., Thornton L.M., Shapiro C.L., Farrar W.B., Mundy B.L., Yang H.C., Carson W.E. 3rd. (2010). Biobehavioral, immune, and health benefits following recurrence for psychological intervention participants. Clin Cancer Res, 16(12): 3270-3278. Belkora, J., Miller, M., Crawford,B., Coyne, K., Stauffer, M., Buzaglo, J., Blakeney, N., Michaels, M., Golant, M. (2013). Evaluation of questionlisting at the Cancer Support Community. Transl Behav Med 3(2): 162-171. Bernacki, R.E., Block, S.D., American College of Physicians High Value Care Task Force. (2014). Communication about serious illness care goals: a review and synthesis of best practices. JAMA Intern Med 174(12): 1994-2003. Buzaglo, J.S., Karten, C., Weiss, E.S., Miller, M.F., Morris, A. (2014). The Financial Costs of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and Implications for Quality of Life and Adherence: Findings from the Cancer Experience Registry. American Society for Hematology 56th Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA. Buzaglo, J.S., Miller, M.F., Gayer, C., Kennedy, V., Golant, M. (2014). Lower income is associated with greater likelihood to seek social and emotional support: Findings from a community-based distress screening program. American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. Carlson, L.E. & Bultz, B.D. (2004). Efficacy and medical cost offset of psychosocial interventions in cancer care: making the case for economic analyses. Psychooncology 13(12): 837-849. Institute of Medicine. Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2008. Institute of Medicine. Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2001. Institute of Medicine. Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2013. The Commonwealth Fund (2014). Too High a Price: Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs in the United States: Findings from the Commonwealth Fund Health Care Affordability Tracking Survey, September–October 2014. Collins, S.R., Rasmussen, P.W., Doty, M.M., Beutel, S.S. The Commonwealth Fund (2015). The Rise in Health Care Coverage and Affordability Since Health Reform Took Effect: Findings from the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey, 2014. Collins, S.R., Rasmussen, P.W., Doty, M.M., Beutel, S.S Sponsors The Cancer Support Community would like to thank the sponsors of the Access to Care Project for their commitment to ensuring that no one faces cancer alone: Amgen Bristol-Myers Squibb Genentech Lilly Oncology Novartis Oncology HEADQUARTERS OFFICE 1050 17th Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202.659.9709 / Toll Free: 888.793.9355 Fax: 202.974.7999 NEW YORK CITY OFFICE 252 West 37th Street, 17th Floor New York, NY 10018 Phone: 917.305.1200 Fax: 212.967.8717 RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE 4100 Chamounix Drive Philadelphia, PA 19131 Phone: 267.295.3000 Fax: 215.882.1580 WWW.CANCERSUPPORTCOMMUNITY.ORG C A N C E R S UP P O RT C OMMUNI TY